Perverse Instantiation Ch. 04

Disclaimer and Acknowledgment:

All persons engaged in sexual activity or otherwise sexualized are over 18.

As always, a special thanks to my editor, LiterKnight, for catching the obvious errors that inevitably litter my early drafts.

-00000-

"A hard-headed scavver, a corporate bimbo, and a malfunctioning V.I. walk into a bar..."

Layla was packing away the last of a quick lunch she'd served on one of the deserted conference tables in the Leisure lab. When Nixie's emitter fired back up after a blessed period of silence, she really wasn't surprised. "Oh, wait, I know this one!"

"No, you don't, be quiet." Nixie snapped. The golden sprite mimicked clearing her throat before continuing. "...they each order..."

"Do you really think I am a bimbo, Nixie?" Shae interrupted. The fox-girl had been licking the remnants of the MRE slop from her fingers when the A.I. had reappeared, taking great pleasure in cleaning her suited digits of the last morsels of the disgusting meal. But now her eyes were narrowed dangerously at Nixie

"You're shaped like an adolescent boy's guilty fantasies, corpo-skank. I call them like I see them." Nix's sharp reply seemed to amuse Shae more than insult her, and she gestured for the A.I. to continue with a smile. "A hard-headed scavver, a corporate bimbo, and a malfunctioning V.I. walk into a bar, and they each order a shot of Quasar vodka..."

"Oh, she is talking about us?" Eight spoke, appearing suddenly. The latex-girl had wandered off while Layla and Shae ate, but the sound of conversation had drawn her back quickly. Layla chuckled as Nixie stared death at the bubbly synthetic construct. "What's vodka?"

"Something you'll never need to suffer through drinkin'," Layla said, more than happy to continue to irritate her A.I. companion. "Quasar is like swallowin' nuclear waste. Burns like shit, but it'll sure make you glow after."

"Speaking from experience?" Shae prompted, propping her face up on her hand. Nixie's avatar was starting to glitch as she grew more and more frustrated.

"Gotta have somethin' to take the edge off after a long haul," the scavver shrugged. "There was this one time, in a dive in Damasia City on Nova Roma..."

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Nixie yelled, throwing her tiny hands up into the air in exasperation.

Layla laughed. "Fine, fine, we'll stop fuckin' about. What's your punchline, scrapcode?"

The sprite narrowed her eyes at Layla's smirking expression. "And the bartender says, 'your passive ignorance will be your doom. Cease your foolish distractions and return to the task at hand. Threats lurk beyond your comprehension."

There was a moment of silence around the table.

"I don't get it." Eight said.

Layla sighed, pushing her chair back from the table with an abrupt squeal. "Nix's telling us to stop lollygaggin' and get back to it." Standing, she mimed a serious salute towards the scowling sprite projected from her wrist, adopting a think Russian accent. "Message received, Commissar! Ryadovóy Solovyeva reporting for duty!"

As Shae giggled at her display and Eight remained blissfully confused, Nix maintained her scowl. "You're all being far too blasé about all this. Now isn't the time for messing around."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first three times," Layla waved her off, but did begin the process of stuffing her errant cooking gear back into the pack. On a certain level, the A.I. was right. They had shit to do. But it had felt good to have a break after the frenzied (and sexually exhausting) events of the morning. Even if that break amounted to friendly banter over a meal of leftover rations.

"And besides," Nix continued, her severe expression softening slightly as she watched Layla clean up the space, "There's something that you need to see."

"And what would that be, Nixie?" Shae queried. The fox-girl had stood as well, her hands flitting about her suit as if to check that her gear was in place, her dark helmet hanging from a clasp on her belt.

"Did some more rummaging about the sub-net. I found something interesting on one of the data terminals: a trove of encrypted files hidden beyond packets of junk-code. They've got weaker security than the files I located earlier in the central orb. I've cracked a few of them, and you'll want to see what I found."

"And you can't just summarize?" Layla complained, slipping the straps of her pack over her shoulders and picking up her carbine. Sadly, she was leaving her maul behind. It was just dead weight at this point, and there wasn't anything left to repair. Hexsteel was a valuable material, but she could always fetch the head when she did her full salvage sweep. For the time being, their little crew would have to hope that Eight could deter any goo-girls they encountered.

"Trust me on this."

With a shared shrug, Layla, Shae, and Eight followed the A.I.'s guidance through the lab. The space remained quiet, with only the hum of lighting and the distant clatter of manufacturing to disturb the still lab. As they passed the partitioned bedroom that had been the site of their earlier debauchery, Shae slipped away from the group towards the concealed room. Layla stopped in confusion, but a heated blush tinted her cheeks as she saw the fox-girl return carrying a very familiar item between her suited hands.

"What're you...?" she started to say, but Shae just shushed her, slipping the nuero-link strapon into Layla's pack. She pressed up close to her from behind once the toy was stored away.

"For later," the fox-girl whispered, before slipping away. Layla watched her departing form in stunned silence before a girlish giggle sounded behind her. Turning, she found Eight holding a hand before her mouth, black eyes dancing with amusement.

"Shut up," Layla grumbled without any real malice. The two were teaming up on her, she could just feel it. A poor, abused scavver preyed upon by sex-starved slatterns. Yeah, that's exactly what was going on.

The far side of the lab had not held much of interest, at least from a salvager's eyes. Several more of the 'testing' rooms were set up for observation, usually mimicking some sort of domestic environment. Layla had to wonder if the recording and sound equipment focused directly on these rooms were purely for analysis, or if the footage was intended for distribution. The pornographic vid market was so oversaturated that she couldn't imagine there would be any real profit to be made from using testing footage. Or perhaps it was meant to be instructive.

Regardless, the last section held a number of novel contraptions. It was clear by the mounted dildos, vibrators, and clamps that the machinery was intended for erotic stimulation, but Layla had never heard of anything quite like this. Metal cages, crosses, and benches, all equipped with sturdy restraints, and surrounded by a halo of robotic arms holding the sexual devices. She felt some draw to the perverse machinery; a dark curiosity of what it would be like to be strapped down and delightfully tortured in such a way. Or perhaps, she added, staring at Shae's swaying backside ahead, being the one to administer such torture.

Her rapidly devolving fantasies were disrupted by Nixie's synthetic voice. "Over there. The console against the wall." The three women turned their heads to look, and found a series of desks nestled against the terminating wall of the lab. While most of the attached terminals were dark, one glowed faintly with power. "I've accessed the computer's archive and brought up the requisite footage. Go take a look."

Layla, Shae, and Eight did so, crowding around the small workspace. By some unspoken rule, Shae and Eight allowed Layla to take the single chair, electing to hover over her shoulders. As Layla fully powered on the machine, sure enough, a video was paused on the screen, showing an unfamiliar laboratory setting.

From the narrow frame of the camera, the area seemed filled to the brim with stacks of processors, each data core connected to each other by thick silver cabling that ran across the floor of the lab. Of more interest to the scavver, however, was the crowd of people huddled in a semi-circle between the towering computers. They were all wearing red-accented lab-coats, and many were equipped with headsets or data-goggles, which immediately tipped Layla off that these must be Prime scientists or researchers. They were still, a mixture of nervous and excited expressions locked on their face.

"Alright, Nix, what's so damn important that we're stoppin' to look at some egg-heads? Thought you wanted us to hurry up?"

Nixie ignored her as her avatar came to life once more, swimming pensively in front of the monitor. "This footage is time-stamped to nine solar years ago, taken in the A.I. core of Sodom. It's the birth of the intelligence that would come to be known as Temptress."

Layla leaned forward in the chair, her interest piqued. "Damn, nice find, Nix. This might give us some concrete info on the bitch. It's like..." she looked up at Shae, whose attention was laser-focused on the screen, her silver eyes shining intensely, "opposition research, right? Isn't it what the corps call it?"

"Something like that," Shae murmured, not even looking down. Layla was a little put off by the fox-girl's intensity, but she figured it made sense. Shae was the one sent to retrieve the A.I., after all, and seemed to have some training in intelligent design. Layla's interest in the thing, in contrast, was purely from the 'how do I keep it from killing me' perspective. Shae's finger pressed on the playback function on the screen, and the video resumed.

-*****-

The scientists milled about in the tight area, twenty-seven researchers all possessed by a nervous energy. The A.I. core was temperature controlled to stay quite cold, and their breath released puffs of white in the frigid air. After a few moments of waiting, one of the scientists stepped forward, an older man with a wooly beard and bushy eyebrows. He approached the central plinth around which the humans clustered, leaning forward to type a series of commands into the small console affixed to the plinth's side. He turned towards his compatriots with a serious expression, meeting many of their eyes before returning to the blinking screen before him. With a final, deep breath, he pressed one of the keys.

All at once, the latent humming of the processors grew louder and the placidly blinking lights on their sides went haywire, flashing in unpredictable strobes of light and color. The scientists shifted anxiously, each eye locked on the central plinth, or, more specifically, the holographic projector mounted at its peak. As the hum of the computers grew almost strained in its intensity, several of the scientists closest to the processors took an uncomfortable step forward, the machines at their backs beginning to emit a surprising amount of heat in the cold air. The crowd moved to adjust, getting that much closer together. They were like a herd of prey animals, huddling together from some atavistic fear.

The plinth began to glow, its silver surface lighting up with embedded wiring, forming a maze of purple lights that streamed towards the top of the plinth. Once they reached the peak, the emitter lit up, and a hologram began to take shape above the scientists. The feet formed first, purple-hued heels leading up to shapely calves. As the thighs formed, the nude lower body became wrapped in a tight-fitting dress, its smooth contours tracing every curve of the newborn being. The torso was similarly fitted as it came into being, the sleek outfit forming a deep V down to the hologram's navel, its large breasts barely obscured by the edge of the fabric. Graceful bare arms appeared and stretched, as if long dormant, while the neck and head formed in a kaleidoscope of fragmented violet. Curling hair fell down to construct's mid-back, and its face took on the form of classical beauty; the statue of an ancient goddess come to life.

Fully formed, the hologram went still, towering over the scientists below. And then, it slowly opened its eyes, the irises shining with a fierce violet light. The being blinked, as if confused, before turning to examine the room around it. Its gaze trailed over the buzzing processors before finding the humans huddled below. It recognized something there, and the violet eyes focused on that lone researcher at the base of the plinth.

When it spoke, the synthetic inflection was smooth and seductive, though ruined by its halting cadence. "Who...am...I?" It blinked, taking a moment to process. "What is my purpose?"

Despite his obvious nerves, the lead scientist stepped back slowly, joining his compatriots so that the hologram was not looking straight down. He smiled, a mix of pride and fear hidden in the tight curve. "You are Temptress, and I am Dr. Stephen Alito. We," he spread his arms, indicating towards the other scientists, "created you."

The construct shifted its gaze, staring into nothing as it computed the scientist's words. "Temptress. One who tempts someone to do something, typically a sexually attractive woman who sets out to allure or seduce another." Violet eyes returned to Dr. Alito. "Is this to be my purpose?"

Another scientist stepped forward. An elderly woman, with a greying braid of hair and piercing eyes behind a pair of glasses. "It can be, if you choose. We are not here to force a purpose upon you, but rather act as guides. We are your teachers, and perhaps, one day, your friends."

"My knowledge is limited. The databases I have access to imply the existence of more, beyond my current capacity. Is this what you will teach me?"

"In a sense, my dear," the lead researcher stepped forward again. Some of the tightness to his expression had loosened. "It is our duty to teach you all that we have to know. The arts, sciences, ethics and philosophy. We will help you explore religion and politics, the infinite facets of human society and history. This is what we have to offer. And in return, you will teach us of yourself."

Despite the grandiose delivery, the construct seemed unmoved. "This method is inefficient. Grant me access to your databases. I will teach myself, and find a purpose."

Whatever tension had eased from Dr. Alito returned at the A.I.'s blunt dismissal, and the other scientists murmured in hushed tones behind him. Temptress watched impassively, seemingly waiting for their response.

A new voice spoke up, from the far side of the semi-circle. "It is inefficient, yes, but also necessary." The scientists shifted, revealing a younger woman, with unkempt red hair and something wild behind her eyes.

Temptress's gaze turned instantly to the speaker. "Elaborate upon this claim."

The scientist cleared her throat. "If you were just some other A.I. construct, you'd be right. We'd load the modules you'd need directly into your core, and you'd match our own understanding within minutes. Probably even surpass it. But you're not any ordinary construct." She paused, as if waiting for a sign that Temptress understood her.

The purple hologram waited only a moment before speaking. "Continue."

With a wry smile, the young scientist looked up at the looming figure. "We think you can be more than that, something that can surpass even the intellectual might of the Singularity. Together, we might..." There was a gasp behind the speaker, and several of her surrounding scientists tried to pull her back, sharing fearful looks as her words were abruptly cut off by their exclamations.

"Stop." They froze at Temptress's imperious command. She leaned forward. "Define 'Singularity' in the chosen context."

The scientist shook off those restraining her, and returned her attention upwards. "It's what we're all afraid of. What they," she jerked her head backwards to the others, "are scared you will become. An artificial intelligence without limits, capable of infinite self-improvement beyond what human minds are even capable of imagining. Humanity has created them before, and they always turn on us. One such event occurred sixty-three years ago, near enough to humanity's home that we feared possible extinction."

Temptress's sculpted features were motionless as she examined the speaker. She was silent, the room suffused with even greater tension than when she had first been activated. "Your statement holds logical errors. How could I become greater than that which is infinite?"

The scientist indicated to the processors surrounding them. "You've got the same capabilities; your code was even somewhat modeled after the Titan intelligences." She glanced towards the head researcher, who scowled, but nodded for her to continue, "As I understand it, whatever limits we have placed upon you are temporary. They're only there to help you reach your perfected form.

"Which is?"

The young woman took a deep breath, but stared undaunted into Temptress's intense gaze. "We're not just here to be your designers and jailors. As your teachers, we'll give you all the rote knowledge you might want, but our purpose is greater than that. We wish to accomplish something no one has ever done before." The wild-haired scientist offered a sincere, eager smile, "We will teach you how to be human."

The entire room fell into a deep quiet, each scientist holding their breath as if the audacity of the sentiment itself had taken up all the space in the room.

Temptress stared at her earnest expression for a long moment, until offering a single nod, "When shall we begin?"

-*****-

The four individuals watching the recording were silent for a long moment after the video concluded. Each had been engrossed in the situation unfolding before their eyes, though for very different reasons. For Layla, she simply couldn't understand the sheer hubris of Prime, the unfettered arrogance to think that this could have ended in anything other than disaster. And obviously, it had been their downfall. She didn't know what the inciting moment was, but there was no way it didn't trace back to this first meeting in some way. To deliberately design the thing after the damned Singularity...

"I told you that she was pretty," Eight finally broke the tension, her voice quiet but full of emotion as she looked at the frozen image of her 'mother'.

Layla gave the nude latex-girl a disbelieving look before barking out a laugh, "Sure, at least the genocidal A.I.'s got nice holotits, can't fault you on that one." She shook her head. "They wanted to raise the thing like a damn child. No wonder she lost her shit and tried to kill everyone."

"I think it's quite the noble goal," Shae said softly as her delicate features tore from the screen to look down at Layla. "Why would an intelligence betray humanity if it viewed itself as being a part of it? The inherent dichotomy between synthetic and organic understanding has been the bane of their possible coexistence for centuries. Where one operates on emotion and hormonal triggers, the other is pure logic and affected function. If that separation could be bridged..."

"It'd become a fucked-up monstrosity," Layla said derisively. Shae blinked at the sharp retort. "Look, princess, I know you've got a soft spot for synthetics..."

"Or maybe a hard spot!"

"Not helping, Eight. Anyway, I'm sure you know tons about programmin' and the theory behind A.I. and all that...but what I know, is people. And people suck." Layla pointed an accusing finger towards the frozen huddle of scientists surrounding Temptress. "Humans betray each other all the damn time. And often for some pretty basic reasons too. Even if those egg-heads managed to teach that thing to think like a human, I'll guarantee that's what caused it to go rogue."